
lagoo, the great traveler, the great toaster. 



■CI,A315470 



-.T 




CAST 



HIAWATHA • MINNEHAHA- 

PAU-PUK.-KEEWIS -CHIBI ABOS- 
KWAS ! N D • f^GOO • NOKOMIS- 
^f TH E B LACK ROBE -WABENO- 
KABIBONOKKA • MUDJEKEEWIS- 
SHAWONDASSEE • WABUN- 
THE ANCIENT ARROW MAKER- 

©SNAKE DANGERS - BRAVES /Ov 
SOlUAWS • PAP005E5 e t c. W 



THE INDIAN PLAY 

H I AWA T H A 

INTRODUCTION 



Should you ask me, wlience these stories ? 

Whence these legends and traditions, 

With the odors of the forest, 

W^ith the dew and damp of meadows. 

With the curhn^ smoke of wigAvams, 

With the rushing of great rivers, 

W^ith their frequent repetitions. 

And their -wild reverberations. 

As of thunder in the mountains ? 

I should ansvt^er, I should tell you, 
*' From the forests and the prairies. 
From the great lakes of the Northland, 
From the land of the Ojibways, 
From the land of the Dacotahs, 
From the mountains, moors, and fen-lands. 
Where the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah, 
Feeds among the reeds and rushes. 
I repeat them as I heard them 
From the lips of Nawadaha, 
The musician, the sw^eet singer. 

Should you ask ^vhere NaAvadaha 
Found these songs so v^^ild and wayward. 
Found these legends and traditions, 
I should ansAver, I should tell you, 
*' In the tird's-nests of the forest, 
In the lodges of the heaver, 
In the hoof-prints of the bison. 
In the eyry of the eagle ! 

"All the wildfowl sang them to him. 
In the moorlands and the fen-lands, 
In the melancholy marshes; 
Chetowaik, the plover, sang them, 
Mahng, the loon, the -wild goose, Wawa, 
The blue heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah, 
And the grouse, the Mushkodasa!" 

If still further you should ask me 
Saying, "Who was Navi^adaha? 
Tell us of this Nawadaha," 
I should answer your inquiries 
Straightway in such words as follow: 

" In the Vale of Tawasentha, 
In the green and silent valley. 
By the pleasant water-courses, 
Dwelt the singer Nawadaha. 
'Round about the Indian village 
Spread the meadows and the cornfields, 
And beyond thena stood the forest. 
Stood the groves of singing pine-trees. 
Green in Summer, white in Winter, 
Ever sighing, ever singing. 



"And the pleasant water-courses, 
You could trace them through the valley-. 
By the rushing in the Spring-time, 
By the alders in the Summer, 
By the white fog in the Autumn, 
By the black line in the Winter; 
And beside them dwelt the singer, 
In the Vale of Tawasentha, 
In the green and silent valley. 

"There he sang of Hiawatha, 
Sang the Song of Hiav^atha, 
Sang his wondrous birth and being, 
HoAv he prayed and how he fasted, 
Hov;^ he lived, and toiled, and suffered. 
That the tribes of men might prosper. 
That he might advance his people !" 

Ye who love the haunts of Nature, 
Love the sunshine of the meadow. 
Love the shadow of the forest. 
Love the Avind among the branches, 
And the rain-shower and the snow-storm, 
And the rushing of great rivers 
Through their palisades of pine-trees, 
And the thunder in the mountains. 
Whose innumerable echoes 
Flap like eagles in their eyries, — 
Listen to these wild traditions, 
To this Song of Hiawatha ! 

Ye who love a nation's legends. 
Love the ballads of a people. 
That like voices from afar off 
Call to us to pause and listen. 
Speak in tones so plain and childlike. 
Scarcely can the ear distinguish 
Whether they are sung or spoken ; — 
Listen to this Indian Legend, 
To this Song of Hia^vatha ! 

Ye whose hearts are fresh and simple, 
Who have faith in God and Nature, 
Who believe that in all ages 
Every human heart is human. 
That in even savage bosoms 
There are longings, yearnings, stri\ings 
For the good they comprehend not. 
That the feeble hands and helpless, 
Groping blindly in the darkness. 
Touch God's right hand in that darkness 
And are lifted up and strengthened, — 
Listen to this simple story. 
To this Song of Hiawatha ! 



SCENE I 

THE GATHERING OE THE TRIBES 



On tKe Mountains of the Prairie, 
On the great Red Pipe-stone Quarry, 
Gitche Manito, the mighty. 
He the Master of Life, descending. 
On the red crags of the quarry 
Stood erect, and called the nations, 
Called the tribes of men together, 
Filled the pipe -with bark of ^villow, 
With the bark of the red willow; 
Breathed upon the neighboring forest. 
Made its great boughs chafe together. 
Till in flame they burst and kindled; 
And erect upon the mountains, 
Gitche Manito, the mighty. 
Smoked the calumet, the Peace-Pipe, 
As a signal to the nations. 

And the smoke rose slowly, slowly, 
Through the tranquil air of morning, 
First a single line of darkness. 
Then a denser, bluer vapor, 
Then a snow-\vhite cloud unfolding, 
Like the tree-tops of the forest. 
Ever rising, rising, rising. 
Till it touched the top of heaven. 
Till it broke against the heaven, 
And rolled outward all around it. 

From the Vale of Ta\vasentha, 
From the Valley of Wyoming, 
From the groves of Tuscaloosa, 
From the far-off Rocky Mountains, 
From the Northern lakes and rivers. 
All the tribes beheld the signal. 
Saw the distant smoke ascending. 
The Pukwana of the Peace-Pipe. 

Do\vn the rivers, o'er the prairies. 
Came the -warriors of the nations. 
All the Avarriors drawn together 
By the signal of the Peace-Pipe, 
To the Mountains of the Prairie, 
To the great Red Pipe-stone Quarry. 

And they stood there on the meado^v. 
With their weapons and their -war-gear. 
Painted like the leaves of Autumn, 
Painted like the sky of morning, 
Wildly glaring at each other; 
In their faces stern defiance, 
In their hearts the feuds of ages, 
The hereditary hatred. 
The ancestral thirst of vengeance. 

Gitche Manito, the mightj', 
The creator of the nations. 



Spake to them with voice majestic 
As the sound of far-off waters 
Falling into deep abysses. 
Warning, chiding, spake in this -wise : — 

" O my children ! My poor children ! 
Listen to the "words of -wisdom, 
Listen to the Avords of warning. 
From the lips of the Great Spirit, 
From the Master of Life, -who made you ! 

" I have given you lands to hunt in, 
I have given you streams to fish in, 
I have given you bear and bison, 
I have given you roe and reindeer, 
I have given you brant and beaver. 
Filled the marshes full of -wild-fo-wl. 
Filled the rivers full of fishes; 
Why then are you not contented ? 
Why then -will you hunt each other ? 

" I am -weary of your quarrels. 
Weary of your -wars and bloodshed. 
Weary of your prayers for vengeance, 
Of your "wranglings and dissensions; 
All your strength is in your union. 
All your danger is in discord ; 
Therefore be at peace henceforward, 
And as brothers live together, 

" I -will send a Prophet to you, 
A Deliverer of the nations. 
Who shall guide you and shall teach you. 
Who shall toil and suffer -with you. 
If you listen to his counsels 
You -will multiply and prosper; 
If his -warnings pass unheeded 
You -will fade a-way and perish ! 

" Bathe no-w in the stream before you. 
Wash the -war-paint from your faces. 
Wash the blood-stains from your fingers. 
Bury your -war-clubs and your -weapons, 
Break the red stone from this quarry. 
Mould and make it into Peace-Pipes, 
Take the reeds that groAv beside you. 
Deck them -with your brightest feathei'S, 
Smoke the calumet together, 
And as brothers live hencefor-ward !" 

From the river came the -warriors. 
Clean and -washed frorn all their war-paint ; 
On the banks their clubs they buried. 
Buried all their -warlike -weapons. 

And in silence all the -warriors 
Then departed each one home-ward. 




Nursed the little Hiawatha. 



illt?i^^^^,i?f^f^f?:"^"''"''*''*^'^^-iiiiJilii!lillilllilill 



SCENE II 



THE INFANT HIAWATHA 



Downward flirougK tlie evening twilight, 
In the days that are forgotten, 
In the unremembered ages, 
From the full moon fell Nokomis, 
Fell the beautiful Nokomis, 
She a wife but not a mother. 

She was sporting with her women, 
Swinging in the swing of grape-vines, 
When her rival, the rejected, 
Full of jealousy and hatred, 
Cut the leafy swing asunder, 
Cut in twain the twisted grape-vines. 
And Nokomis fell affrighted 
Downward through the evening twilight, 
On the Muskoday, the meadow, 
On the prairie full of blossoms. 
" See ! a star falls ! " said the people ; 
" From the sky a star is falhng ! ' 

Thei-e among the ferns and mosses, 
There among the prairie lilies. 
On the Muskoday, the meadow. 
In the moonUght and the starlight. 
Fair Nokomis bore a daughter. 
And she called her name Wenonah, 
As the first-born of her daughters. 
And the daughter of Nokomis 
Grew up like the prairie lilies. 
Grew a tall and slender maiden. 
With the beauty of the moonlight, 
With the beauty of the starlight. 

And Nokomis warned her often. 
Saying oft, and oft repeating, 
"Oh, beware of Mudjekeewis, 
Of the West-Wind, Mudjekeewis; 
Listen not to what he tells you ; 
Lie not down upon the meadow, 
Stoop not down among the liUes, 
Lest the West-Wind come and harm you ! 

But she heeded not the warning. 
Heeded not those words of wisdom. 



And the West-Wind came at evening. 

Walking lightly o'er the prairie. 

Whispering to the leaves and blossoms, 

Bending low the flowers and grasses, 

Found the beautiful Wenonah, 

Lying there among the lilies. 

Wooed her with his words of sweetness, 

Wooed her with his soft caresses, 

Till she bore a son in sorrow, 

Bore a son of love and soi-roAV. 

Thus Avas born my Hiawatha, 
Thus was boi-n the child of wonder; 
But the daughter of Nokomis, 
Hiawatha's gentle mother. 
In her anguish died deserted 
By the West- Wind, false and faithless, 
By the heartless Mudjekeewis. 

By the shores of Gitche Gumee, 
By the shining Big-Sea-Water, 
Stood the wigwam of Nokomis, 
Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis. 
Dark behind it rose the forest. 
Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees. 
Rose the firs with cones upon them; 
Bright before it beat the water, 
Beat the clear and sunny water, 
Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water. 

There the \vrinkled old Nokomis 
Nursed the little Hiawatha, 
Rocked him in his linden cradle. 
Bedded soft in moss and rushes. 
Safely bound with reindeer sinews; 
Stilled his fretful wail by saying, 
" Hush! the Naked Bear will hear thee ! 
Lulled him into slumber, singing, 
" Ewa-yea! my little owlet! 
Who is this, that Ughts the wigwam? 
With his great eyes Ughts the wigwam? 
Ewa-yea ! my little ovi^let! " 






t\M-'' 



Who is this, that liglits the wigwam? 







All the village came <iiul fivisteJ. 

All the guests praised Hiawatha. 



SCENE III 

THE BOY HIAWATHA 



His education: 

Chiabos teaches him to sing, 

lagoo teaches him to shoot. 

Then lie said to Hiawatha: 
" Go, my son, into the forest. 
Where the red deer herd toijether, 
Kill for us a famous roebuck. 
Kill for us a deer Avith antlers ! " 

Then, upon one knee uprising, 
HiaAvatha aimed an arrow; 
Scarce a t^wig moved Avith his motion, 
Scarce a leaf -was stirred or rustled. 
But the wary roebuck started, 
Stamped with all his hoofs together, 
Listened with one foot uplifted. 
Leaped as if to meet the arrow; 
Ah! the singing, fatal arrow; 
Like a wasp it buzzed and stung him ! 



Dead he lay there in the forest, 
By the ford across the river; 
Beat his timid heart no longer. 
But the heart of Hiawatha 
Throbbed and shouted and exulted, 
As he bore the red deer homeward, 
And lagoo and Nokomis 
Hailed his coming with applauses. 

From the red deer's hide Nokomis 
Made a cloak for Hiawatha, 
From the red deer's flesh Nokomis 
Made a banquet in his honor. 
All the village came and feasted, 
All the guests praised HiaAvatha, 
Called him Strong-Heart, Soan-ge-taha ! 
Called him Loon-Heart, Mahn-go-taysee ! 

Pau-puk-keewis teaches him to dance. 



SCENE IV 

THE YOUNG CHIEF 



"As unto the boAV the cord is, 

So unto the man is Avoman; 

Though she bends him, she obeys him, 

Though she draAVS him, yet she folloAA's, 

Useless each without the other! 

Thus the youthful HiaAvatha 
Said Avithin himself and pondered. 
Much perplexed by Aarious feelings. 
Listless, longing, hoping, fearing. 
Dreaming still of Minnehaha, 
Of the loA^ely Laughing Water, 
In the land of the Dacotahs. 

"Wed a maiden of your people, 
Warning said the old Nokomis; 
"Go not eastAvard, go not AvestAvard, 
For a stranger, Avhom Ave knoAV not ! 
Like a fire upon the hearth-stone 
Is a neighbor's homely daughter. 
Like the starlight or the moonlight 
Is the handsomest of strangers ! " 

Thus dissuading spake Nokomis, 
And my HiaAvatha ansAvered 
Only this: "Dear old Nokomis, 
Very pleasant is the firelight. 
But I like the starlight better. 
Better do I like the moonlight! " 

GraAcly then said old Nokomis: 
" Bring not here an idle inaiden. 



Bring not here a useless Avoman, 
Hands unskillful, feet unAvilling; 
Bring a Avife with nimble fingers, 
Heart and hand that moAe together. 
Feet that run on Avilling errands! " 

Smiling ansAvered HiaAvatha: 
" In the land of the Dacotahs 
LiA^es the ArroAv-maker's idaughter, 
Minnehaha, Laughing Water, 
Handsomest of all the A^'omen. 
I Avill bring her to your Avigwam, 
She shall run upon your errands. 
Be your starlight, moonlight, firelight. 
Be the sunlight of my people ! " 

Still dissuading said Nokomis: 
" Bring not to my lodge a stranger 
From the land of the Dacotahs ! 
\ ery fierce are the Dacotahs, 
Often is there A\^ar betAveen us. 
There are feuds yet unforgotten. 
Wounds that ache and still may open ! " 

Laughing ansAvered HiaAvatha: 
" For that reason, if no other. 
Would I Aved the fair Dacotah, 
That our tribes might be united. 
That the old feuds might be forgotten, 
And old Avounds be healed forcAcr ! " 



Slic was (liinking of n Imnter, 

Younj; ami tall and very harKlsomc. 




Broufjhf forth food and set before them, 
Water brought them from the brooklet. 



SCENE V 



THE VILLAGE 



Various customs and ceremonies are introduced, older than the coming of the White Man to this 

continent, — how much older, no one knows. 



SCENE VI 



INDIAN WOOING 



On the outskirts of the forest, 
'Twixt the shadoAv and the sunshine, 
Herds of fallow deer -were feeding. 
But they saw not Hiawatha; 
To his bow he whispered, " Fail not! " 
To his arrow "whispered, " Swerve not ! " 
Sent it singing on its errand, 
To the red heart of the roebuck; 
Threw the deer across his shoulder. 
And sped forward -without pausing. 

At the doorway of his wigwam 
Sat the ancient Arrow-maker, 
In the land of the Dacotahs, 
Making arrow-heads of jasper. 
Arrow-heads of chalcedony. 
At his side, in all her beauty, 
Sat the lovely Minnehaha, 
Sat his daughter. Laughing Water, 
Plaiting mats of flags and rushes; 
Of the past the old man s thoughts -were, 
And the maiden's of the future. 

She was thinking of a hunter, 
From another tribe and country, 
Young and tall and very handsome, 
Who one morning, in the Spring-time, 
Came to buy her father s arrows, 
Sat and rested in the wigwam, 
Lingered long about the doorway. 
Looking back as he departed. 
She had heard her father praise him, 
Praise his courage and his wisdom; 
Would he come again for arrow^s 
To the Falls of Minnehaha? 
On the mat her hands lay idle, 
And her eyes were very dreamy. 

Through their thoughts they heard a 
Heard a rustling in the branches, [footstep. 
And with glo^ving cheek and forehead, 
With the deer upon his shoulders. 
Suddenly from out the woodlands 
Hiawatha stood before them. 

Straight the ancient Arrow-maker 
Looked up gravely from his labor, 
Laid aside the unfinished arro-w. 

Then uprose the Laughing Water, 
From the ground fair Minnehaha 



Laid aside her mat unfinished, 
Brought forth food and set before them. 
Water brought them from the brooklet. 
Gave them food in earthen vessels, 
Gave them drink in bowls of bass-A\'ood, 
Listened Avhile the guest Avas speaking. 
Listened v^^hile her father answered. 
But not once her lips she opened, 
Not a single word she uttered. 

Yes, as in a dream she listened 
To the -words of Hiawatha, 
As he talked of old Nokomis, 
Who had nursed him in his childhood, 
As he told of his coi"npanions, 
Chibiabos, the musician, 
And the very strong man, K-wasind, 
And of happiness and plenty 
In the land of the Ojibways, 
In the pleasant land and peaceful. 

"After many years of warfare. 
Many years of strife and bloodshed. 
There is peace between the Ojib-ways 
And the tribe of the Dacotahs." 
Thus continued Hia-watha, 
And then added, speaking slo\vly, 
" That this peace may last forever. 
And our hands be clasped more closely. 
And our hearts be n-iore united, 
Give me as my -wife this maiden, 
Minnehaha, Laughing Water, 
Loveliest of Dacotah -women ! 

And the ancient Arrow^-maker 
Paused a moment ere he ans-wered, 
Smoked a little \vhile in silence, 
Looked at Hia-watha proudly, 
Fondly looked at Laughing Water, 
And made ans-wer very gi*avely: 
"Yes, if Minnehaha -wishes; 
Let your heart speak, Minnehaha ! " 

And the lovely Laughing Water 
Seemed more lovely, as she stood there. 
Neither -willing nor reluctant, 
As she -went to Hiawatha, 
Softly took the seat beside him, 
While she said, and blushed to say it, 
" I -will follo-w you, my husband ! ' 



From the -wigwam 

he departed. 
Leading; with him 

Jyaughing Water. 




And she follows 
Adhere he leads h 

Leaving all things 
for the stranger. 



SCENE Vl-Confinued 



INDIAN WOOING 



This "was Hia-wafKa's wooing ! 
Thus it was he -won the daughter 
Of the ancient Arrow-maker, 
In the land of the Dacotahs ! 

From the w^ig^vam he departed, 
Leading with him Laughing Water: 
Hand in hand they went together, 
Through the woodland and the meadow, 
Left the old man standing lonely 
At the doorway of his -wigwam. 
Heard the Falls of Minnehaha 
Calling to them from the distance. 
Crying to thei-n from afar off, 
" Fare thee -well, O Minnehaha ! " 

And the ancient Arrow-maker 
Turned again unto his labor, 
Sat doAvn by his sunny door-way. 
Murmuring to himself, and saying: 
"Thus it is our daughters leave us. 
Those w^e love, and those -who love us ! 
Just -when they have learned to help us. 
When -we are old and lean upon them 
Comes a youth -with flaunting feathers. 



With his flute of reeds, a stranger 
Wanders piping through the village. 
Beckons to the fairest maiden. 
And she follo-ws -where he leads her. 
Leaving all things for the stranger! " 

Pleasant Avas the journey home-ward. 
Through interminable forests. 
Over meado-w, over mountain, 
Over river, hill and hollo-w. 
Short it seemed to Hia-watha, 
1 hough they journeyed very slo-wly. 
Though his pace he checked and slackened 
To the steps of Laughing Water. 

Thus it was they journeyed home-ward; 
Thus it -was that Hiawatha 
To the lodge of old Nokomis 
Brought the moonlight, starlight, firelight, 
Brought the sunshine of his people, 
Minnehaha, Laughing Water, 
Handsomest of all the -women 
In the land of the Dacotahs, 
In the land of handsome -women. 




llius it was tlic\ journeyed lionievvard. 



SCENE VII 



THE WEDDING FEAST 



Sumptuous was the feast Nokomis 
Made at Hiawatha s wedding; 
All the bowls Avere made of bass-wood, 
White and polished very smoothly, 
All the spoons of horn of bison, 
Black and polished very smoothly. 

She had sent through all the village 
Messengers with wands of ^villow, 
As a sign of invitation, 
As a token of the feasting; 
And the Avedding guests assembled. 
Clad in all their richest raiment, 
Robes of fur and belts of Avampum, 
Splendid with their paint and plumage, 
Beautiful with beads and tassels. 

First they ate the sturgeon, Nahma, 
And the pike, the Maskenozha, 
Caught and cooked by old Nokomis; 
Then on pemican they feasted, 
Pemican and buffalo marrow. 
Haunch of deer and hump of bison, 
Yellow cakes of the Mondamin, 
And the Avild rice of the river. 

But the gracious Hiawatha, 
And the lovely Laughing Water, 
And the careful old Nokomis, 
Tasted not the food before them. 
Only Avaited on the others. 
Only served their guests in silence. 

And when all the guests had finished. 
Old Nokomis, brisk and busy, 
Froin an ample pouch of otter. 
Filled the red stone pipes for smoking 
With tobacco from the South-land, 
Mixed with bark of the red willow, 
And Avith herbs and leaves of fragrance. 

Then they said to Chibiabos, 
To the frietid of Hia^vatha, 
To the SAveetest of all singers, 
To the best of all musicians, 
"Sing to us, O Chibiabos ! 
Songs of love and songs of longing. 
That the feast may be more joyous, 
That the time may pass more gaily. 
And our guests be more contented ! " 

And the gentle Chibiabos 
Sang in accents sweet and tender. 
Sang in tones of deep emotion. 
Songs of love and songs of longing; 
Looking still at Hiawatha, 
Looking at fair Laughing Water. 

Then she said, "O Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Dance for us your merry dances, 
Dance the Beggar's Dance to please us. 
That the feast may be more joyous. 



That the time may pass more gaily. 
And our guests be more contented ! " 

Then the handsome Pau-Puk-Kee-wis, 
He the idle Yenadizze, 
He the merry mischief-maker. 
Whom the people called the Storm-Fool, 
Rose among the guests assembled. 

First he danced a solemn measure. 
Very sIoav in step and gesture. 
In and out among the pine-trees. 
Through the shadoAvs and the sunshine. 
Treading softly like a panther. 
Then more swiftly and still swifter, 
Whirling, spinning round in circles. 
Leaping o'er the guests assembled. 
Eddying round and round the Avigwam, 
Till the leaves Avent Avhirling Avith him, 
Till the dust and Avind together 
SAvept in eddies round about him. 

riius the merry Pau-Puk-KeeAvis 
Danced his Beggar's Dance to please them. 
And, returning, sat doAvn laughing 
There among the guests assembled. 
Sat and fanned himself serenely 
With his fan of turkey-feathers. 

Songs and dances used at Ojibwav weddings, 
from earliest times, are introduced. 

The wedding feast closes with the Gambling 
Scene. 

" Hark you " shouted Pau-Puk-Keewis 
As he entered at the doorAvay; 
" I am tired of all this talking, 
Tired of old lagoo's stories. 
Tired of HiaAvatha's wisdom. 
Here is something to amuse you. 
Better than this endless talking." 

Then from out his pouch of wolf-skin 
Forth he drcAV, with solemn manner, 
All the game of BoavI and Counters, 
Pugasaing, Avith thirteen pieces. 
White on one side were they painted, 
And vermilion on the other; 
Tavo Kenabeeks or great serpents, 
Tavo Ininewug or wedge-men. 
One great Avar-club, Pugamaugun, 
And one slender fish, the Keego, 
1 our round pieces, OzaAvabeeks, 
And three SheshebAvug or ducklings. 
All Avere made of bone and painted. 
All except the OzaAvabeeks ; 
These Avere brass, on one side bui-nished, 
And Avere black upon the other. 




vndthe wedding guests assembled,, 
Clad in all their richest raiment. 



SCENE Vll-Continued 
THE WEDDING FEAST 



In a -wooden bo-wl lie placed them, 
Shook and jostled them together, 
Threw them on the ground before him, 
Thus exclaiming and explaining: 
" Red side up are all the pieces. 
And one great Kenabeek standing 
On the bright side of a brass piece 
On a burnished Ozawabeek; 
Thirteen tens and eight are counted. 

Then again he shook the pieces, 
Shook and jostled them together, 
ThreAV them on the ground before him. 
Still exclaiming and explaining: 
" White are both the great Kenabeeks, 
White the Inine-wug, the Avedge-men, 
Red are all the other pieces; 
Five tens and an eight are counted. 

Thus he taught the game of hazard, 
Thus displayed it and explained it. 
Running through its various changes. 
Various changes, various meanings; 
Twenty curious eyes stared at him, 
Full of eagerness stared at him. 

" Many games," said old lagoo, 
" Many games of skill and hazard 
Have I seen in different nations. 
Have I played in different countries. 
He -who plays with old lagoo 
Must have very nimble fingers; 
Though you think yourself so skillful 
I can beat you, Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
I can even give you lessons 
In your game of Bo-v\4 and Counters ! 

So they sat and played together. 
All the old men and the young men, 
Played for dresses, Aveapons, wampum. 
Played till midnight, played till morning. 
Played until the Yenadizze, 
Till the cunning Pau-Puk-Kee-vvis, 
Of their treasures had despoiled them. 
Of the best of all their dresses. 
Shirts of deer-skin, robes of ermine, 
Belts of -wampum, crests of feathers. 
Warlike -weapons, pipes and pouches. 
T-wenty eyes glared -wildly at him. 
Like the eyes of -wolves glared at him. 

Said the lucky Pau-Puk-Kee-wis: 
" In my wig-wai-n I am lonely. 
In my -wanderings and adventures 
I have need of a companion. 
Fain -would have a Meshinau-wa, 
An attei-idant and pipe-bearer. 
I -will venture all these -winnings. 
All these garments heaped about me. 
All this -wampum, all these feathers. 



On a single thro-w -will venture 
All against the young man yonder! " 
'T-was a youth of sixteen summers, 
'T-was a nephe-w of lagoo; 
Face-in-a-Mist, the people called him. 

As the fire burns in a pipe-head 
Dusky red beneath the ashes. 
So beneath his shaggy eyebro-ws 
Glo-wed the eyes of old lagoo. 
" Ugh ! " he ans-wered very fiercely; 
" Ugh ! " they answered all and each one. 

Seized the -wooden bo-wl the old man, 
Closely in his bony fingers. 
Clutched the fatal bo-wl, Onagon, 
Shook it fiercely and with fury. 
Made the pieces ring together 
As he thre-w them do^vn before him. 

Red were both the great Kenabeeks, 
Red the Inine-wug, the -wedge-men. 
Red the Shesheb-wug, the ducklings. 
Black the four brass Ozawabeeks, 
White alone the fish, the Keego; 
Only five the pieces counted ! 

Then the smiling Pau-Puk-Keewls 
Shook the bo-wl and threiv the pieces; 
Lightly in the air he tossed them. 
And they fell about him scattered; 
Dark and bright the Oza-wabeeks, 
Red and -white the other pieces. 
And upright arnong the others 
One Inine-wug -was standing, 
Even as crafty Pau-Puk-Kee-wis 
Stood alone ai-nong the players. 
Saying, " Five tens ! Mine the gai-ne is ! " 

T-wenty eyes glared at him fiercely. 
Like the eyes of wolves glared at him. 
As he turned and left the -wigAvam, 
Folio-wed by his Meshinau-wa, 
By the nephe-w of lagoo. 
By the tall and graceful stripling. 
Bearing in his arms the -winnings. 
Shirts of deer-skin, robes of ermine. 
Belts of -wampurn, pipes and -weapons. 

"Carry them," said Pau-Puk-Kee-wis, 
Pointing -with his fan of feathers, 
" To my -wig-wam far to east-ward. 
On the dunes of Nago-w Wudjoo ! " 

Hot and red -with smoke and gambling 
Were the eyes of Pau-Puk-Keewis 
As he came forth to the freshness 
Of the pleasant summer morning. 
All the birds -were singing gaily. 
All the streamlets flo-wing s-wiftly 
And the heart of Pau-Puk-Keewis 
Sang -with pleasure as the birds sing. 



SCENE Vll-Continued 
THE WEDDING FEAST 

Beat with triumph Uke the streamlets, 

As he Avandered through the village, 

In the early gray of morning. 

With his fan of turkey-feathers. 

With his plumes and tufts of swan's down, 

Till he reached the farthest \vig\vam, 

Reached the lodge of Hia^vatha. 

Silent was it and deserted; 
No one met him at the door^vay, 
No one came to bid him welcome ; 

"All are gone ! the lodge is empty ! " 
Thus it "was spake Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
In his heart resolving mischief, — 
"Gone is wary HiaAvatha, 
Gone the silly Laughing Water, 
Gone Nokomis, the old -woman. 
And the lodge is left unguarded ! " 

With a stealthy step he entered, 
Round the lodge in Avild disorder 
Threw the household things about him. 
Piled together in confusion 
Bowls of wood and earthen kettles. 
Robes of Buffalo and beaver. 
Skins of otter, lynx and ermine. 
As an insult to Nokomis, 
As a taunt to Minnehaha. 

Full of wrath was Hiawatha 
When he came into the village, 
Found the people in confusion. 
Heard of all the misdemeanors, 
All the malice and the mischief 
Of the cunning Pau-Puk-Kee^wis. 

Hard his breath came through his nostrils. 
Through his teeth he buzzed and muttered 
Words of anger and resentment, 
Hot and humming like a hornet. 
"I -will slay this Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Slay this mischief-maker! " said he. 
"Not so long and wide the world is. 
Not so rude and rough the way is. 
That my wrath shall not attain him. 
That my vengeance shall not reach him ! " 

Then in swift pursuit departed 
Hiawatha and the hunters 
On the trail of Pau-Puk-KecAvis. 

Pau-Puk-Keewis is flnalhj surrounded at the 
top of Nanabozh's Rock. Seeing that all means of 
escape are cut off, he asks the King of the Beavers 
to change him into a beaver and leaps into the 
water. His request is granted but the braves kill 
the beaver. 

The Scalp Dance. 

The Restoration of Pau-Puk-Keewis to life, to 
human form, and to all his tribal rights. 




1 hen in s-wift pursuit departed. 



SCENE VIII 



THE DEATH OF MINNEHAHA 



Oh, the long and dreary Winter ! 
Oh, the cold and cruel Winter! 
Ever thicker, thicker, thicker 
Froze the ice on lake and river, 
Ever deeper, deeper, deeper 
Fell the snow o'er all the landscape, 
Fell the covering snow, and drifted 
Through the forest, round the village. 

Into Hia^vatha's Avigwani 
Came two other guests as silent 
As the ghosts were, and as gloomy, 
Waited not to be invited. 
Did not parley at the doorway. 
Sat there ■without Avord of welcome 
In the seat of Laughing Water; 
Looked with haggard eyes and holloAv 
At the face of Laughing Water. 

And the foremost said; "Behold me! 
I am Famine, Bukadawin ! " 
And the other said; " Behold me ! 
I am Fever, Ahkosewin ! " 

And the lovely Minnehaha 
Shuddered as they looked upon her, 
Shuddered at the -words they uttered, 
Lay down on her bed in silence, 
Hid her face, but made no answer; 
Lay there trembling, freezing, burning 
At the looks they cast upon her, 
At the fearful words they uttered. 

Forth into the empty forest 
Rushed the maddened Hiawatha; 
In his heart was deadly sorrow, 
In his face a stony firmness; 
On his brow^ the sweat of anguish 
Started, but it froze and fell not. 

Wrapped in furs and armed for hunting. 
With his mighty bow of ash-tree. 
With his quiver full of arrows, 
With his mittens, Minjekahwun, 
Into the vast and vacant forest 
On his snow-shoes strode he forward. 

"Gitche Manito, the Mighty!" 
Cried he with his face uplifted 
In that bitter hour of anguish, 
"Give your children food, O Father! 
Give us food, or we must perish ! 
Give me food for Minnehaha, 
For my dying Minnehaha ! " 

Through the far-resounding forest, 
Through the forest vast and vacant 
Rang that cry of desolation. 
But there came no other answer 
Than the echo of his crying. 
Than the echo of the woodlands, . 
" Minnehaha ! Minnehaha ! " 



In the wigwam Avith Nokomis, 
With those gloomy guests that watched her. 
With the Famine and the Fever, 
She was lying, the Beloved, 
She the dying Minnehaha. 

" Hark! " she said, " I hear a rushing, 
Hear a roaring and a rushing, 
Hear the Falls of Minnehaha 
Calling to me from a distance ! " 
"No, my child! " said old Nokomis, 
"'Tis the night-wind in the pine-trees ! " 
"Look ! " she said, " I see my father 
Standing lonely at his doorA\^ay, 
Beckoning to me from his -wigwam 
In the land of the Dacotahs ! " 
" No, my child ! " said old Nokomis, 
" 'Tis the smoke that -waves and beckons ! " 

"Ah! ' said she, "The eyes of Pauguk 
Glare upon me in the darkness, 
I can feel his icy fingers 
Clasping mine amid the darkness ! 
Hia-watha ! Hiawatha!" 

And the desolate Hia-watha, 
Far away amid the forest, 
Miles away among the i-nountains. 
Heard that sudden cry of anguish. 
Heard the voice of Minnehaha 
Calling to him in the darkness, 
" Hia-watha ! Hia-watha ! " 

Over snow-fields waste and pathless, 
Under snow-encumbered branches. 
Home-ward hurried Hia^vatha, 
Empty-handed, heavy-hearted. 
Heard Nokoi-nis moaning, -wailing: 
" Wahono-win ! Wahono-win ! 
Would that I had perished for you, 
Would that I -were dead as jou are ! 
Wahonowin ! Wahono\vin ! " 

And he rushed into the -wig-wam, 
Sa-w the old Nokomis slo-wly 
Rocking to and fro and moaning, 
Sa-w his lovely Minnehaha 
Lying dead and cold before him. 
And his bursting heart -within him 
Uttered such a cry of anguish 
That the forest moaned and shuddered. 
That the very stars in heaven 
Shook and trembled -with his anguish. 

Then he sat down, still and speechless, 
On the bed of Minnehaha, 
At the feet of Laughing Water, 
At those -willing feet, that never 
More -would lightly run to meet him. 
Never more -would lightly follo-w. 



SCENE VIII— Continued 



THE DEATH OF MINNEHAHA 



With both hands his face he covered; 
Seven long days and nights he sat there, 
As if in a swoon he sat there, 
Speechless, motionless, unconscious 
Of the daylight or the darkness. 

Then they buried Minnehaha; 
In the snow a grave they made her, 
In the forest deep and darksome, 
Underneath the moaning hemlocks; 
Clothed her in her richest garments. 
Wrapped her in her robes of ermine. 
Covered her with snow, like ermine; 
Thus they buried Minnehaha. 

And at night a fire -was lighted. 
On her grave four times was kindled. 
For her soul upon its journey 
To the Islands of the blessed. 
From his doorway Hiawatha 
Saw it burning in the forest. 



Lighting up the gloomy hemlocks; 
From his sleepless bed uprising, 
From the bed of Minnehaha, 
Stood and watched it at the door-way. 
That it might not be extinguished. 
Might not leave her in the darkness. 
" Fare-well ! " said he, " Minnehaha ! 
Farewell, O my Laughing Water ! 
All i"ny heart is buried -with you. 
All my thoughts go on-ward -with 3 ou ! 
Come not back again to labor. 
Come not back again to suffer. 
Where the Famine and the Fever 
Wear the heart and -waste the body. 
Soon my task -will be completed. 
Soon your footsteps I shall follo-w 
To the Islands of the Blessed, 
To the Kingdom of Ponemah, 
To the Land of the Hereafter!" 




iiii!!!l!!liiliiiilli! 



SCENE IX 



THE ARRIVAL OF THE BLACK-ROBE 



From his wanderings far to eastward, 
From the regions of the morning, 
From the shining land of Wabun, 
Home^vard now returned lagoo, 
The great traveler, the great boaster, 
Full of new and strange adventures. 
Marvels many and many wonders. 

And the people of the village 
Listened to him as he told them 
Of his marvelous adventures, 
Laughing ans^vered him in this -wise : 
"Ugh! it is indeed lagoo! 
No one else beholds such Avonders ! " 

He had seen, he said, a vt^ater 
Bigger than the Big-Sea-Water, 
Broader than the Gitche Gumee, 
Bitter so that none could drink it ! 
At each other looked the "warriors, 
Looked the women at each other, 
Smiled, and said, " It cannot be so ! 
Kaw ! " they said, " it cannot be so ! " 
O'er it, said he, o er this Avater 
Came a great canoe with pinions, 
A canoe Avith wings came flying. 
Bigger than a grove of pine-trees, 
Taller than the tallest tree-tops ! 
And the old men and the -women 
Looked and tittered at each other; 
" Kaw ! " they said, " "we don't believe it ! " 

From its mouth, he said, to greet him. 
Came Waywassimo, the lightning, 
Came the thunder, Annemeekee ! 
And the "warriors and the -women 
Laughed aloud at poor lagoo; 
"Ka"w! " they said," -what tales you tell us! " 

In it, said he, came a people. 
In the great canoe -with pinions 
Came, he said, a hundred -warriors; 
Painted -white "were all their faces. 
And -with hair their chins w^ere covered ! 
And the -warriors and the -women 
Laughed and shouted in derision. 
Like the ravens on the tree-tops. 
Like the cro-ws upon the hemlocks. 
" Ka-w ! " they said, "-what lies you tell us ! 
Do not think that -we believe them ! " 

Only HiaAvatha laughed not. 
But he gravely spake and answered 
To their jeering and their jesting: 
"True is all lagoo tells us; 
I have seen it in a vision. 
Seen the great canoe -with pinions. 
Seen the people -with -white faces, 
Seen the coming of this bearded 
People of the -w^ooden vessel 



From the regions of the morning. 
From the shining land of Wabun. 

And the noble Hia-watha, 
With his hands aloft extended. 
Held aloft in sign of welcome. 
Waited, full of exultation, 
Till the birch canoe -with paddles 
Grated on the shining pebbles. 
Stranded on the sandy margin. 
Till the Black-Robe chief, the Pale-face, 
With the cross upon his bosoi"n. 
Landed on the sandy margin. 

Then the joyous Hia-watha 
Cried aloud and spake in this -wise: 
" Beautiful is the sun, O strangers, 
When you coi"ne so far to see us ! 
All our town in peace awaits you; 
All our doors stand open for you ; 
You shall enter all our "wig-wams, 
For the heart's right hand -we give you. 
" Never blooi-ned the earth so gaily, 
Never shone the sun so brightly, 
As today they shine and blossoi"n 
W^hen you come so far to see us ! 
Never "was our lake so tranquil. 
Nor so free from rocks and sand-bars; 
For your birch canoe in passing 
Has removed both rock and sand-bar. 

" Never before had our tobacco 
Such a s-weet and pleasant flavor, 
Never the broad leaves of our corn-fields 
Were so beautiful to look on. 
As they seem to us this morning. 
When you coi"ne so far to see us ! " 

And the Black-Robe chief made ans-wer. 
Stammered in his speech a little. 
Speaking -words yet unfai-niliar: 
" Peace be -with you, Hia-watha, 
Peace be -with you and your people. 
Peace of prayer and peace of pardon, 
Peace of Christ and joy of Mary ! " 

Then the generous Hiawatha 
Led the strangers to his -wigwam. 
Seated them on skins of bison. 
Seated them on skins of ermine, 
And the careful old Nokomis 
Brought them food in bo-wls of bass--wood. 
Water brought in birchen dippers. 
And the calumet, the Peace-pipe, 
Filled and lighted for their smoking. 

All the old men of the village, 
All the -warriors of the nation. 
All the Jossakeeds, the prophets. 
The magicians, the Wabenos, 
And the medicine-men, the Medas, 




Told the purport o£ his mission. 

Told them o£ the Virgin Mary. 




Till the birch canoe with paddles 
Grated on the shining pebbles. 



SCENK IX— Continued 



THE ARRIVAL OF THE BLACK-ROBE 



Came to tid the strangers welcome; 
"It is -well," they said, "O brothers, 
That you come so far to see us ! " 

In a circle 'round the door-way, 
With their pipes they sat in silence. 
Waiting to behold the strangers, 
Waiting to receive their message; 
Till the Black-Robe chief, the Pale-face, 
From the wigwam came to greet them. 
Stammering in his speech a little. 
Speaking words yet unfamiliar; 
" It is well," they said, "O brother. 
That you come so far to see us ! " 

Then the Black-Robe chief, the prophet, 
Told his message to the people, 



Told the purport of his mission, 
Told them of the Virgin Mary, 
And her blessed Son, the Saviour; 
How in distant lands and ages 
He had lived on earth, as we do; 
HoAV he fasted, prayed and labored; 
HoAV the Jews, the tribe accursed. 
Mocked him, scourged him, crucified him: 
How he rose from -where they laid him. 
Walked again -with his disciples. 
And ascended into heaven. 

And the chiefs made ans-wer, saying : 
" We have listened to your message. 
We have heard your -words of -wisdom. 
We -will think on -what you tell us." 




Soon my task Avill be completed, 

Soon your footsteps I shall fo[lo\v. 



From his place 
rose Hiawatha, 

Bade farewell to 
old Nokomis. 




Turned and -waved his hand at partin 



SCENE X 



THE DEPARTURE 



From his place rose Hiawatha, 
Bade farewell to old Nokoniis, 
Spake in Avhispers, spake in this wise, 
Did not -wake the guests that slumbered ; 

" I am going, O Nokomis, 
On a long and distant journey, 
To the portals of the Sunset, 
To the regions of the home-Avind, 
Of the NortliAvest Wind, KeeAvaydin, 
But these guests I leave behind me. 
In your watch and ward I leave them; 
See that never harm conies near them, 
See that never fear molests them, 
Never danger nor suspicion, 
Never Avant of food or shelter. 
In the lodge of Hiawatha ! " 

Forth into the village went he. 
Bade farewell to all the Avarriors, 
Bade farewell to all the young men, 
Spake persuading, spake in this vt^ise: 

"I am going, O my people. 
On a long and distant journey; 
Many moons and many -winters 
Will have come and will have vanished. 
Ere I come again to see you. 
But my guests I leave behind me; 
Listen to their words of Avisdom, 
Listen to the truth they tell you. 
For the Master of Life has sent them 
From the land of light and morning ! " 

On the shore stood HiaAvatha, 
Turned and wa\^ed his hand at parting ; 



On the clear and luminous Avater 
Launched his birch canoe for sailing 
From the pebbles of the margin 
Shoved it forth into the Avater; 
Whispered to it, " WestAvard ! WestAvard ! " 
And with speed it darted forAvard. 

And the people from the margin 
Watched him floating, rising, sinking. 
Till the birch canoe seemed lifted 
High into that sea of splendor, 
Till it sank into the vapors 
Like the ncAV moon sloAvly, sloAvly 
Sinking in the purple distance. 

And they said " FareAvell forever! " 
Said, " FareAvell, O HiaAvatha ! " 
And the forests, dark and lonely, 
Mo\ ed through all their depths of darkness. 
Sighed, " FarcAvell, O HiaAvatha ! " 
And the waves upon the margin 
Rising, rippling on the pebbles, 
Sobbed, " FarcAvell, O HiaAvatha ! " 
And the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah, 
From her haunts among the fen-lands, 
Screamed, "FareAvell, O HiaAvatha!" 

Thus departed HiaAvatha, 
HiaAvatha the BeloA^ed, 
In the glory of the sunset, 
In the purple mists of evening. 
To the legions of the home-Avind, 
Of the NortliAvest Wind, KecAvaydin, 
To the Islands of the Blessed, 
To the kingdom of Ponemah, 
To the land of the Hereafter. 




Thus departed Hiawatha. 



WiAV 27 n\'^ 



Duo-tone Reproduction by 
The Dean-Hicks Company 
Grand Rapids, Michigan 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 




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